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UNITED ST TES K PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLOTTE M. A. BARRY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CORSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 281,659, dated July 24, 1883. Application filed May 1880. (Model) To all whom, it may concern:

vBe it known that I, CHARLOTTE M. ADAMs BARRY, of Boston, Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corsets, of which the following description, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The object of my invention is the production of an improved corset constructed from pattern-pieces, shaped as hereinafter described and shown in the drawings, which, when united, form an improved spinal and shoulderbrace corset.

Figure 1 is a side view of my improved corset. Fig. 2 shows the pattern-pieces forming one-half of one of my improved corsets. Fig. 3 is a partially-distended View of the back and a portion of the sides of my improved spinal and shoulder-brace corset, the said figures showing thevertical andhorizontal stiffenings in dotted lines, the shoulder-braces, and the cords in the top of the shoulders. Fig. 4

shows a modification in the construction of the series of bones a and I) of my improved corset. Fig. 5 shows another modification in the construction of the series of -bones a and b of my improved corset. Fig. 6 shows yet another modification in the construction of my improved spinal and shoulder-brace corset; and Fig. 7 is an enlarged inner side view of a part of one-half of one of my improved corsets, the innermost ply of cloth being broken out to show the stiffenings.

One principal aim of my invention is to make a corset which will fit everywhere alike, exert an equal pressure upon all parts of the body touched by it, and render tight lacing entirely unnecessary.

The pattern-pieces composing each half of my improved corset vare shown in detail in, Fig. 2. They are numbered from 1 to 8, both inclusive. No. 1, the back piece, is cut straight on the back edge, and on the opposite or front edge curves gracefully from the lower part of the arm-size at or to the bottom. From a it curves slightly outward to the point, 0, where it joins the shoulderstrap, and then runs diagonally upward to the point p,to facilitate the junction with it of the shoulder-strap q, and then runs downward and. outward to the rear edge, e.

Pattern-piece No. 2 is the side piece. Its

outer edge is curved from the point g at the top to the notch 1" at the lower part of the waist. The right-hand edge of piece 2 corresponds with theinner or front edge of pattern-piece 1, with which it is to be j oined, the points q and n being placed together.

Belowthe notch 1', and between pieces 1 and 2, the pattern-piece N o. 8 is inserted, its sides conforming'to theirs and its top fitting into the notch at r. The pattern-pieces 1, 2, and 8 being thus brought into place, if the other pattern-pieces 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are moved to the right as they lie, and each is joined to the one next on its right, the vwhole will form half of the corset shown in Fig. 1, after which the shoulder-strap No. 9 may be added.

Pattern-piece No. 3 is one of the under arm-pieces, and its front edge is curved inwardly very slightly from the top to the waist, and curved outwardly from waist to bottom, but on its back edge it is slightly rounded outwardly from top to waist, and runs nearly straight from waist to bottom. This edge is joined to the front edge of piece 2. Fattern-piece No. 4, at its right-hand edge, is inwardly-curved; but its front edge is nearly straight downto its middle, when it is widened toward the'bottom, as shown in the diagram.

It is the shape of this piece that gives the corsets their peculiar curve over the abdomen.- The front edge of piece No. 4 is considerably longer than its back edge.

Pattern-piecesNos. 5 and 6 are wide at their upper parts, are rounded out quite full to form the bosom,; grow narrower toward the waist, and are quite narrow at their lower ends. Pattern-piece No. 6 rounds out a little more at the top than piece: 5, and the back edge of piece 5 and front edge of piece 6 are substantially straight below their wide upper parts.

Pattern-piece N o. 7, the front piece, (in which the usual steels or busks are sewed,) finishes my improved corset. v

- The vertical stiffenings or bones c d e g are held in vertical pockets, formed by stitching the edges of narrow pieces of cloth a (see Fig. 7) to the inner side of the corset to stiffen and support the back and sides of the corset, and consequently form a brace for the back and sides of the wearer. I also stitch to the inner sides of the corset, at its back and sides, pieces of fabric a, so as to form a series of short parallel pockets between the vertical pockets and stifleners c (l cg, for the reception of the series a bf of short bones or stiifenings, the ends of which will terminate next the vertical stiffeners, as shown in Figs. 3 and 7, the combined long vertical bones and the series of short parallel bones or stillenings, located at an angle to the vertical bones, fully bracing the person, yet permitting the back and sides of the corset to yield and adapt itself to the body of the wearer in a manner which would not be possible if the parallel bones, placed at an angle to the vertical bones, were extended, as long bones or stiffeners, entirely across the back of the corset.

The pockets for the horizontal or other than vertical stiffeners are formed by the parallel lines of stitching, and said stiffeners are separated from each other solely by such lines of stitching. Now, by this construction a large number of elastic or spring stiffeners, of bone or such like material now in use for corsetstiifeners, can be massed at the desired point with great economy of space, and in my manner eil'ecting a very beneficial result.

The shoulder-straps, if used, as it is preferred, will be stitched to the pattern-pieces 1 along the line 0 p, and the front ends of the said strips will be secured by suitable hooks and eyes, or in any other usual manner, with the top of the corset under the arms, as shown in the drawings.

The upper portions of the pattern-pieces 1 are corded at 72, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The series of parallel bones to run from the bottom of the corset up over the shoulderblades, forming a stiffened section to the line on, and along the junction of pattern-pieces l and 8 is slightly narrower at the bottom of the corset. The series of parallel bones b run from the waist or the top of pattern-piece 8 as high as the series a; but the bones or stifi'eners of the series I) will preferably be a little longer than those of series a.

Two strong corset-steels or stifieners, c and (I, run from the bottom of the corset up over the shoulder-blades as high as the top of the series a, the one lying between the eyelets and series of stiffeners a, while the other lies be tween the series a and b.

A third steel, 0, runs from the bottom of the corset upward to the arm, separating the series of bones b from another series, f, under the arm, extended downward to the waist, the bones of the series of bones f being made shorter to conform to the tapering of the waist. The steel 0 runs a little higher than the series f, and not quite as high as the top of series I).

A fourth steel, 9, runs from the arm downward along the edge of series f, all these steels being for the purpose of giving more strength and firmness to the whole structure, while preserving its elasticity. The cording h runs diagonally from the line in to the shoulder-strap, forming a firm and strong but soft support for the top of the shoulder.

Each of the series of bones a bf, above described, has its own peculiar local advantage and value, and can be used either by itself or in connection with one or both of the other series, and may be so used in ordinary corsets, as wellas in these spinal and shoulder-brace corsets.

The series of bones a a and steels c c on each side of the spine form an excellent support for the spinal column. The series of bones b and the vertical steels or stiifeners (Z and 0 support the shoulder-blades and back, assisted by a and c, and the series of bones f, aided by the two vertical stiiieners c and g, support the muscles under the shoulder-blzules and that portion of the figure under the arms. All the series of bones a b f and steels or stiffcners receive mutual aid by conjunction. The series of bones to and b, with flanking vertical stiifeners c, (I, and 0, without the series f and steel or stiffener 9, would usually be preferable in misses and childrens corsets; but all these may be used.

I find that as a general thing misses and children require something to keep the spine straight and. PIGXGllt stooping, but do not often require any especial support under the arm, except where the spine is curved and the body is thrown out on one side, when the under-arm series, f, is of great value as a sup port. XVhere one shoulder-blade is larger than the other there is always a fullness under the arm on one side and a depression under the other.

Each of the series of bones a I) f, as shown in the accompanying diagrams, is formed of short bones running laterally in pockets parallel to each other between the vertical bones or stifleners, as shown by series 1), between bones (Z and 0; but the construction of the series a and b may be modified by having the short bones, composing the whole or a part of either section, running diagonally, as in Fig. 5, or horizontally and diagonally, as in Fig. 4. I The use of horizontal bones, as in Figs. 1 and 3, is preferred as the superior mode of construction.

, The use of short bones in sections, as herein described, gives more support to the figure, and the corsets have more elasticity and wear longer. Other usual stiffening materials besides whalebones and steels may be used in forming these sections.

i Fig. 6 shows an arrangement for the following purpose: In the ease of very round-shouldered persons, where the blades are very prominent and extra pressure is required over them, and stiffness and strength is an object rather than flexibility, instead of the series of bones a and I), shown in Fig. 7, I may use a series of 1011- ger bones, as in Fig. 6, to extend across the corset from the eyelets nearly to the arm-size without being divided or broken by the stiffener d, as in Fig. 7. The stiffener a may be crossed over the said parallel series of bones either inside or outside, inside being preferred. That part of the series of bones 1) corresponding to the portion of it which appears on piece No. 2 in Fig. 3 is omitted, as it is not desirable in such a case to continue the union of a and b to the bottom of b, because the bones would not curve to the waist. 'Ihe modified section thus formed is marked A in Fig. 6.

For ordinary use, where no special spinal or shoulder trouble exists, these corsets may be worn without a shoulder-strap, and with everything omitted above the series of bones a and b'that is, the top of piece No. 1 may be cut off at the dotted line m; but the series of bones a b, and usually f, and vertical stiffeners shown in Figs. 1 and 3, will be used.

I claim-J 1. A corset each half of which is composed of the pattern-pieces 2 to 8, inclusive, as shown and described, and a pattern-piece, 1, shaped as shown below the dotted line in thereon, sub stantially as described.

2. A spinal and shoulder-brace corset having each half composed of eight pattern-pieces, as described and shown, and marked 1 to 8, inclusive, and the shoulder-straps 9, and a series of stiffeners, a I) f, and vertical stiffeners c e g, substantially as shown and described.

'3. In a corset, back pieces, 1 1, provided with a series of short parallel bones or stiffeners arranged with their edges close together to form a brace for the back, combined with 0 the arm-side section 3, shaped as shown, and having a series of short parallel horizontal stiffeners, f, and vertical stiffenerse 9, substantially as described.

4. In a corset, the arm-side section 3, shaped 5 as shown, and provided with the series of short 

